Government has attributed the excessive drinking and involvement with Russian girls by Zambian students in Russia as a cause for the battering of Zambian students in that country.

Minister of Education, Science and Technology, John Phiri said the Zambian students have taken the bad drinking culture to that country which is causing them to fight even among themselves.

Dr Phiri has however ruled out any hate related crime by the Russians on the Zambians saying that no Russian was involved in the beating of the three Zambian students.

He said the three Zambian students were battered in St. Petersburg Russia by some foreign students who were working as part time guards at a certain bar in the city after picking a quarrel.

He said four perpetrators have since been arrested adding that the Zambian mission in Russia is waiting for Zambian students who are still in hospital to be discharged or be out of danger before it can take legal action against them.

The Minister described the incident as uncalled especially that the Mission in Russia undertakes orientation programmes on the students including on security.

Dr Phiri said this in a ministerial statement in Parliament on the status of the Zambian students who were battered in St. Petersburg, Russian and updates of riots at Chizongwe Technical High School in Chipata and Chiwala High School in Ndola.

He stated that Zambia has greatly benefited from the cultural exchange with Russian through the awarding of scholarship which now stands at 100 students yearly from about 30 in 60s.

He added that there are currently over 475 Zambian students in Russia 87 alone in St. Petersburg while several others are also studying on self sponsorship.

The three Zambian students who were battered in Russian are Christone and Christopher Bwanga who sustained broken jaws, and Leonard Kawanda who sustained deep cuts on the head and are in hospital.

Meanwhile the Minister has disclosed that the cost of damages pupils from Chizongwe Technical High School in Eastern Province inflicted on the neighbouring Anoya Boys High is K121 million.

Dr Phiri said government will surcharge all the students at the school for the damage to school infrastructure and 19 vehicles which they damaged when they rioted last week.

He said government condemns such acts and blamed it on lack of supervision on the part of teachers who failed to detect the students during planning and walking about 8 Kilometers to go and demolish another school.

He said the ministry will do its own investigations and to see whether there was negligence on the part of administration adding that if proven government will also take action on certain teachers at the school.

Dr Phiri said the decision to close the school was also taken in the interest to safeguard the lives of the students who were at threats from fellow students at Anoya Zulu and residents of surrounding compounds after they took the action.

And the Minister said government will also surcharge pupils from Chiwala High School in Ndola who run amok after the school experienced water problems for five days last week.

He said the pupils went ahead to riot even after school management had assured them of rectifying the problem.

He said government is currently accessing the cost of the damages to surcharge the students.

Dr. Phiri has however advised pupils to use established channels of communications in airing their grievance than resorting to riots.

He said government will soon establish a student’s council where it will be encouraging pupils to dialogue with relevant authority in resolving contentious issues.

ZANIS

A 20 – year – old former student of Zambia Centre for Accountancy Studies (ZCAS), Teddy Malekani has pleaded guilty before Magistrate Bornface Mwinga for producing obscene cinematographic material.

This is in a case where Teddy Malekani a former student at Zambia Centre for Accountancy Studies (ZCAS) is charged for producing obscene cinematographic material that is said to corrupt morals contrary to the laws of Zambia.

The case has however been adjourned to March 28, 2012 at the Lusaka Magistrate Courts for mention of facts and sentencing.

Meanwhile Malekani’s advocates Wilson Mweemba earlier bitterly confronted a Post Newspaper photographer who he said was interfering with his privacy by taking photos of him and his client while journalists reminded him that his involvement in a public case makes him a public figure.

ZANIS

The opposition Movement for Multi-Party Democracry (MMD) has refuted media claims that it intends to do away with the party convention, but instead elect the its leader using the National Executive Committee (NEC). Reacting to the report, MMD Deputy National Secretary Chembe Nyangu dismissed the assertions as pure lies.

Mr Nyangu stated that the party’s NEC has not considered such a route to elect the party’s next president other than the convention.

Earlier reports by QFM suggested that the MMD was said to have abandoned plans for a convention to elect the party’s new leader opting instead to use the National Executive Committee to elect the party President to replace former president Rupiah Banda.

Quoting sources within the party’s top brass, QFM reported that former Zambian High Commissioner to Canada Dr Nevers Mumba was the preferred candidate to takeover the leadership of the country’s largest opposition party.

The sources disclosed that when the NEC members meet to elect the party’s new leader it mostly likely that Dr Mumba once Republican vice president will be endorsed by the majority members.

The move by former ruling party to use the NEC to elect its new leader followed the failure to raise the K3 billion required to hold the convention by the committee tasked to mobilize the funds.

QFM

The Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) has said that it is in possession of names of senior officials from the previous government alleged to have taken bribes from the Alstom Company of France over a ZESCO contract.

ACC Director General Rosewin Wandi has however declined to name the officials stating that investigations on the matter are ongoing.

Ms Wandi told Journalists in Lusaka today.

The World Bank has slapped a hefty 9.5 million dollars fine on Alstom Corporation, a major French engineering company and blacklisted two of its subsidiaries, Alstom Hydro France and Alstom Network Schweiz AG (Switzerland), after it admitted to bribing a Senior Zambian government official.

Meanwhile, the ACC Director General has urged stakeholders to corporate with the commission by building relationships and reporting systems that will facilitate effective information flows with government.

Speaking in Lusaka this morning at the workshop for the dissemination of the report on the Anti Corruption National policy baseline study, Ms Wandi said doing so will ensure that the activities under the national policy are managed in a coordinated and more professional manner.

She said the main objective of the baseline study was to provide a comprehensive set of baseline data that is complete in order to remove any existing institutional obstacles in the implementation of the National Anti Corruption Policy.

QFM

Jay Rox recently relesed the remix to his single “Boza” . The remix features the rest of the Zone fam crew as well as singer Salma Dodia

BOZA remix

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NR80QuquYY&feature=player_embedded
By Kapa187

matiya mboroma  AKA  jwiseman ,aged 32 , is an upcoming artist based in lusaka .He is currenlty working for zesco ltd under call centre department.

“I started my music career in 2004, when i first did my single  at sound check , i now own a studio called scorpion records based in lilanda west, i basically sing and produce  anything  from kalindula to ragga, raggaetone  , am currently working on  my first album tilted ‘wise people’ it will be a ten track album. my current promo song is called kuwama kwako featuring b1.its on air right now and the video is also out .”

Kapa187:What does the name Jwiseman mean and how did you come up with it.

Jwiseman: thanks , at first i was called scorpion then, people advised  me that it wasn’t a good name, so the  name jwiseman simply means people who are wise and joyful at the same time , i believe  people should be joyful but wise at the  same time

Kapa187: Have you always wanted a career in music ,what made you want to pursue it .

Jwiseman:not really the interest  started  when i reached 17 years  and i want to pursue  a career in music because i have the skill and talent  hence i  can contribute positively to  the music industry

Kapa187:What makes you different from other artists

Jwiseman: not much but i believe am unique because am the only jwiseman in this world

Kapa187:How has having your own studio helped your music career

Jwiseman: it has because i have more time to rehearse  and practice , that’s why am urging young upcoming artists to join me

Kapa187: You do music ranging from kalindula to ragga . What interests you about that style of music and who are some of the artists that you look up to ,both locally and internationally.

Jwiseman: i really look up to  b1, exile ,mark2, Danny and many Zambia artists , i believe the best talent is in Zambia its just that  our music has not be much  exposed

Kapa187: What can your fans expect from your album

Jwiseman: i believe its going to be a great album because am really working hard so that i  give them the best , its going to be a mature  album with something for everyone

Kapa187:Which artists have you worked with and which ones would you like to work with in the future.

Jwiseman: so far i have worked with b1,willy ginx and everfresh and am looking forward to work with pj, exile and the organized family  and many more

Kapa187: What has the best moment of your life and why .

Jwiseman: i think the day i knew who GOD was in my life , because when you know GOD  you are able to understand and direct your life  positively

Kapa187: What would you say to other younger upcoming artists.

Jwiseman :i would urge them to continue working hard, they should never loss hope, let them stay positive the future  belongs to them.

Kapa187: In 10 years i will be ….. 

Jwiseman: i want to be  the best musical/artist  producer in AFRICA  and own my on radio station

Kapa187: Any last words to your fans

Jwiseman: thanks for your support and continue supporting me because without your  support  jwiseman is nothing , i also promise them  more good staff coming from scorpion records ,our motto is together we can do more. I am currently looking for young upcoming artist  that i can work with and probably sign them at my studio,at scorpion records i believe  together we can do more.

THE MUSIC

By Kapa187

President Michael Sata has stressed the need to expedite the completion process of the Line of Credit from the Indian Government to facilitate construction of health post across the country.

This is according to a press release made available to the media by Special Assistant to the President George Chellah.

The President said it was the intention of his administration to ensure that Zambia benefited from the US$50 Million Line of Credit for the construction of about 650 rural health posts throughout the country.

President Sata was speaking when he met Lucky Exports Director Mr. Diwakar Mishra and his Deputy General Manager (Business Development) Mr. T.P Singh in Ahmedabad, Gujarat West India, during his continued economic investment promotion crusade.

The President assured the firm’s executives that Zambia had favourable investment terms and urged them to take advantage of this business climate. In response, Mr. Mishra said his team would travel to Zambia not later than April 2012 to take up the challenge.

The Head of State was flanked by Zambia’s High Commissioner to India Ms. Susan Sikaneta and First Secretary for Press & Tourism at the Zambian Mission, Mr. Bwalya Nondo.

Lucky Exports has built health posts in Togo, Senegal, Ethiopia, Ghana, Sudan, Benin and Tanzania. The President who is on a private visit to India is scheduled to meet more Indian Business Executives whose companies have expressed interest in investing in Zambia.

Over thirty (30) Indian investors who attended a business promotion seminar organised by the Zambian High Commission in New Delhi last week indicated interest in investing in mining, agriculture, health and other sectors of the economy.

Get Involved Zambia Executive Director Father Frank Bwalya has urged the government to be as transparent as possible in whatever it says and does in order to instill confidence in the Zambian people.

Father Bwalya tells Qfm news that the conflicting statements coming from government surrounding the president’s trip to India do not instill confidence in the Zambian people.

He says the Patriotic Front promised the Zambian people transparency in its governance system which it should uphold.

He has since joined in calling on the government to issue a clear statement with regards the President’s trip to India in order to stop the growing speculation.

Fr Bwalya says Zambians should be kept abreast on the president’s activities as they are the people that put him in office to run the affairs of the country.

AND Forum for Leadership Search Executive Director Edwin Lifwekelo says government should strive to bring to an end the speculation on the president’s health once and for all.

Mr. Lifwekelo says the government should ensure that it comes up with one voice on the president’s trip to India.

He has wondered why the government cannot come up with one position regarding the president’s trip.

He says government is responsible for the speculation brewing in the country on the president’s trip as it has not come up with a clear position that tallies with media reports coming from India.

Mr. Lifwekelo says there is nothing wrong if the President has gone to India to seek medical attention.

He says the people have the right to know because it is tax payers’ money that is being used to service the trip of the republican president.

QFM

THE Bank of Zambia (BoZ) has disclosed that printing, minting and delivery of banknotes and coins resulting from the rebasing of the Kwacha, is expected to commence in mid-May 2012 onwards.

BoZ deputy governor Bwalya Ng’andu said the Central bank will introduce the new notes and coins around the same period.
Dr Ng’andu was speaking at a sensitisation workshop for members of Parliament in Lusaka yesterday, on the rebasing of the Kwacha.
[pullquote]the central bank rebasing team has not considered including portraits of any eminent personalities on the new notes[/pullquote] Government announced the decision to rebase the Kwacha on January 23 this year and indicated that the exercise would be conducted within six months.

The BoZ Act number 43 of 1996 empowers the bank to, among other things, manage the national currency.

The idea of rebasing the Kwacha was initially conceived in 2003 when the current currency structure was implemented.

Dr Ng’andu said BoZ is expected to sign contracts with successful bidders next month.[pullquote][/pullquote]

He said in February, BoZ invited tenders to shortlist printers and minters and that the period March 23-28, 2012 is targeted for submission of bids, tender closure and opening of bids.

He said the approval of technical and financial proposals by the Zambia Public Procurement Authority (ZPPA) is scheduled to be done from April 5 to 11 this year.

Dr Ng’andu said the characteristics of the new banknotes will be communicated to the public once the tender has been awarded to the successful bidder.

“The success of the Kwacha rebasing exercise depends on the bank’s capacity to inform people about the change. BoZ has designed a communication strategy on currency rebasing that will allow for the carrying out of simultaneous spreading and education activities in different parts of the country, to all stakeholders and the general public,” Dr Ng’andu said.

He said all legal aspects pertaining to the Kwacha rebasing are currently being reviewed by the legal sub-committee of the rebasing project.

Dr Ng’andu said some of the laws to be affected by the rebasing of the Kwacha include those on pricing, wages and pension, among others.

“The board of directors of BoZ has delegated the implementation of the currency rebasing project to BoZ management for the successful implementation of the rebasing exercise. BoZ management has created structures to manage the currency rebasing exercise,” Dr Ng’andu said.

He said the structures include the BoZ governor who is patron, deputy governor of operations who is sponsor, a steering committee, project team and technical committees.

Others are legal, information and publicity and security and logistics committees.

And Dr Ng’andu said the central bank rebasing team has not considered including portraits of any eminent personalities on the new notes.

He said the rebasing team will choose the features once the successful bidding companies provide samples of the proposed notes and coins.
[Zambia Daily Mail]